Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-27
POLICE COMMISSIONERS.
Kansas City and Other Enemies ano
Wichita Bave Secured Them.
From the Kansas City Times-Special.

From the Kansas City Times-Special.
Attorney General S. B. Brad ord has de-
cided thst the saloons of Wichita must go.
Mr.. Bradford has fully determined not to be
intimidated by any boisterous bluffs that
may be made by Marsh Murdoch or any
other Wichita editor.
Since Mr. Bradford announced his de-
Termination to visit Wichita and see that
city officials do their duty in strictly enforc-
ing the prohibitory law he has been subject
ed to several attacks at the hands OF the
editor of the EAGLE. Today MIR. Bradford
was shown a paper containing the articles In
question and after carefully reading them,
he said:
"Mr. Murdoch, the editor of the EAGLE, is
a man for hom l have the utmost respect,
but | will state for his benefit that intend
some time during this week to visit the city
of Wichita and If there are any open saloons
there or if there are any joints where liquor
is sold, propose to close them, with the as
sistance of the city officials, if they wish to
assist, without: if not.
81 intend to go there and investigate af-
fairs. Then propose to perform my duty
as attorney general of the state of Kansas,
and close, If it is in my power to do so, every
illegal joint in the city, side doors, front
doors and ALL Mr.. Murdoch need not think
that he can, by defaming me in his paper,
saloons of Atchison and Leavenworth have
been closed after long and hard fight, and
there is no reason why discrimination
should be made in favor of Wichita.
In this fight against the Wichita joints
Mr. Bradford has the full and free endorse
mept of Governor Martin and what is known
as the ultra prohibition element OF the repub-
hcan party.
Prohibitionists of the Father Baker order
are inclined to think that Mr.. Bradford is a
little noisy in his talk concerning Wichita.
They recognize that it is not policy for the
attorney general to fight the people OF Alch-
ita. as the sentiment of the citizens is largely
in favor of allowing the joints to run. Mr..
Bradford has gone ahead in this matter too
far to back water, and he proposes to see
that Wichita receives the same treatment
that Atchison and Leavenworth had, come
what may.
From Kansas City Times-E iitorlal.
ATTORNEY General Bradford of Kansas has
bound the blue ribbon about his brow, and
with that sign heproposes to darethe scream
ing EAGLE of Sedgs lex county in the eyrle
itself. In advance Mr.. Murdoch has told the
chief law officer of the state that he will have
better health if he minds his own business
and lets the people of Wichita handle Their
own whisky drinking. The high note OF de-
fiance has penetrated to Topeka, and the at
torney general, with the laurels of his victor
les at Leavenworth and Atchison and Dodge
City not yes withered, starts up and promul-
gates stalwart oath that he will place firmly
on the neck of Wichita, Murdoch included,
the yoke of the Murray law, and that,
too, before the week is out. This
promises to furnish sport. The head OF
the Wichita pouter pigeon has demonstrated
his ability to look big and make a great
rumble and rattle. The English language
has never been able to supply him with words
intense enough. II he can dig from the
mines Of his invention by the time Bradford
gets there new terms fit to measure his con
tempt and dispeasure, the editions of ms
paper will be in danger of not appearing
The forms may be mental, The attorney
general is determined man and not a bad
sugger with words himself. Hence the
meeting will have a peculiar interest. The
official has the advantage of an iron-claC
law and the state militia behind him. TIL.
editor is in his own home and is surrounded
by an admiring constituency. Robert Louis
Stevenson has fascinating account
of contest between two Scotch
bagpipers in which the blowers blew alter
nately, the blo.ing waxing louder and NOR
ornate until the weaker pair of lungs anC
the poorer Imagination had to succumb
Thus it will be at Wichita. Experienced
sporting men will be inclined to back Brad
ford They do not doubt Murdock's ability
being really whether Wichita saloons aGC
''joints" shall sell liquor, it is remembered
that the Murray law is pig tight and tina
the attorney general can stop talking ant
go to acting with deadly effect wheneve
his tongue shows signs of weakening
Murdoch has but one chance after wordN
weapons are Ia ID aside. He can try the ex
pertinent of riot He has enough irrespon
sibe hoodlums within call to do something
in this way to make good his defiance, bu
he will hardly maze the attempt. He vii
simply claim that he has INDICATED his rep
utation as the champion blower by OUTFLOW
ing Bradford and will stop there. Som
men are born to blow and some to act
Brother Murdoch was born to blow Tn,
specialized perfection with which he has full
filled his mission frees him from any obliga
ton to act with much effect. We look 10
Brother Murdoch to subside about the end o
the week
Thus the Kansas City Times makes up
case between Murdoch and Attorney Gen
eral Bradford and then proceeds to descan
upon an imaginary situation-sets up
couple of Scotch pipers and then proceed
to pump them Dustin full of wind. In tn
first place the EAGLE has never heard iron
Mr.. Bradford except through outside ps
pers and unfrien dly sources, and therefor
the EAGLE is not responsible for his blow
nor does 1t care for it. Should he Gem
and camp in Wichita for month or for
year, he would find Wichita just as Law
abiding and as closely observing the prov
sions of the Murray bill as any of the 9th
or first class cities of Kansas. There
great stress laid on the supposed rectitud
of Topeka, AtchiSon and Leavenworth
but their police records are no cleaner tina
those of Wichita. The amusing part Q
the whole thing is that the governor an
some OF the state officers as also the Topt
ka and Emporia papers are swearing ver
geance against Wichita while it is plain t
everybody but TO themselves that the
draw their inspiration, and that their hig
resolves come Of the mis- representations c
apaper published in the worst rum soake
hole in the land.
So far as the Kansas City Times ha
column editorial and its half column di
patch are concerned. all we have to say
that Murdoch did not nor did the EAeL
open up any windy war of word
Whatever We may have said was called oil
by papers claiming to report things said b
Bradford. The cranky legislature of la
winter put it in the power of Governt
Martin. Mr. Bradford and one or two otht
officials to practically take the goyernme,